Irish Tenant Right League

Structural changes in Irish agriculture after the Famine and its consequences

Structural changes due to the Famine

Famine and mass emigration lead to structural changes in Irish agriculture. In 1845 only 36 per cent of the farmed land was above 15 acres and 24 per cent was lower than 5 acres. In 1851 however the farmed land which was above 15 acres increased to 51 per cent and the farmed land which was below 5 acres decreased to 15 per cent (Maurer 228). The aim was to create sustainable farms yet this lead to problems for the small farmers.

Mass evictions of Irish peasants

The consequence of this aim was that landowners were less willing to give land to small tenants. Either the owners wanted to keep the prosperous pieces of land to themselves or they were not willing to pay the poor relief. This had to be paid for the small tenants in the event of a new famine. Consequently, small tenants were massively evicted: 6026 persons in 1846, 9657 in 1848, 16,686 in 1849 and 19,949 in 1850 (Maurer 229).

Absenteeism and the Irish Tenant Right League

Absenteeism

These mass evictions proved problematic because the great landlords were not present in Ireland and dealt with their tenants through middlemen. This system had been around since the penal laws i.e. the 1680s but in the 1850s it lead to a new form of mass organization and the connection with Home Rule policy. Since in the eyes of Irish reformers the land question was not solvable in a Union or a Commonwealth, only self government could bring a solution.

The Irish Tenant Right League

The first tenant league was founded in 1847 by James Finton Lalor. In 1850, around 20 tenant leagues existed and Charles Duffy founded the nationwide Irish Tenant Right League in order to introduce the Ulster customs to the entire Island of Ireland. The league demanded the ”Three F’s”: Fair rent, fixity of tenure and free sale of land. The introduction of those reforms was only possible if they could gain influence on Irish MPs and to force them to form an Irish independent party.

The Irish Tenant Right League as a parliamentary force

The Irish Tenant Right League was able to convince a large amount of Irish MPs to not support the British government if Westminster showed no concern for the Irish concerns. Due to this policy they were able to bring down the government of Lord Russel. In the upcoming election of 1852 some 50 members of the Tenant Right League were elected to Westminster. However, they were not able to pursue their influence any further because two MPs broke the pledge and supported the British government against Irish tenant interests. Due to this fact the movement fell apart and was unable to complete its success.

Sources

Maurer, Michael. Kleine Geschichte Irlands, Stuttgart: Reclam, 2009.

Bew, Paul. Ireland The Politics of Enmity 1789-2006, Oxford: OUP, 2007.